The present invention relates to detergent builders and detergent compositions continuing same.
Powdered type A zeolite, which can be used as a phosphate substitute in detergents, represents because of its small particle size a lumpy powder which tends to agglomerate. It is difficult to mix this zeolite powder with the other detergent constituents to obtain a homogeneous powder. A complicating effect is that the finished mixture tends to resegregate.
In order to avoid this mixing problem, zeolite granules are added to the already spray-dried detergent components. These zeolite granules are produced by, among other methods, spray-drying an aqueous suspension of the zeolite powder while adding further detergent constituents.
lt is known that zeolite suspensions can be mixed with sodium sulfate, spray-dried to obtain zeolite granules and admixed with the other detergent constituents (see European Laid-open application No. 870, Kali-Chemie). These known zeolite granules have the disadvantage that they do not meet the requirements imposed on them. For example, it is necessary that the zeolite granules have an undiminished calcium-binding capacity, a good particle-size stability. Of particular importance is that the dust content be as low as possible.
lt is also known that granulated detergent builders can be used to produce phosphate-free detergent (West German Laid-open application No. 3,504,450). These consist of: 70 to 80 weight percent of a water-insoluble silicate, capable of binding calcium, in the form of a finely divided, bound-water-containing, synthetically produced, water-insoluble, crystalline compound of the general formula EQU (Kat).sub.2/n O).sub.x . Me.sub.2 O.sub.3 . (SiO.sub.2).sub.y(I),
in which Kat represents an n-valent cation which is exchangeable with calcium, x a number from 0.7 to 1.5, Me boron or aluminum and y a number from 0.8 to 6,
4 to 5 weight percent of sodium sulfate, PA1 2 to 3 weight percent of nonionic surfactant, PA1 0 to 1 weight percent of alkali, PA1 0.5 to 1 weight percent of carboxymethylcellulose and/or methylcellulose, PA1 and the balance is water. PA1 2 to 3 weight percent of nonionic surfactant, PA1 0 to 1 weight percent of alkali, PA1 1.1 to 5 weight percent of carboxymethylcellulose and/or methylcellulose, PA1 and the balance is water. PA1 0.7 to 1.1 Na.sub.2 O . Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 . 1.3 to 3.3 SiO.sub.2. PA1 (1) 0.7 to 1.1 Na.sub.2 O . Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 . 1.3 to 2.4 SiO.sub.2, PA1 (2) 0.7 to 1.1 Na.sub.2 O . Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 . 2.4 to 3.3 SiO.sub.2.